1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to trampolines, and improvements in the performance of trampolines.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, trampolines are recreational and sometimes sporting and entertainment apparatuses designed to both enhance a trampolinist's jump height and greatly cushion his or her return bounce. Nominally, a trampoline consists of a sturdy frame often in a circular or rectangular shape (although others are possible) with frame legs that raise the trampoline above the ground, a flexible mat upon which a trampolinist can bounce or jump, and several springs attached between the mat and the frame.
The mat deflection is directly proportional to the impulse forces transmitted by the trampolinist during a bouncing or jumping session. The mat deflection is inversely proportional to the spring constants of the trampoline spring members. If the spring constants are too high, the mat may not undergo the proper deflection needed for comfort or tumbling by a typical user. If the spring constant is lower, an appropriate amount of mat deflection may be achieved for a normal weight user. However, heavier users may cause excessive mat deflections and elevated spring fatigue.
The prior art approach to keeping mat deflections from being excessive is to use lower spring constants, but restrict the weights of trampolinists (sometimes to relatively low weights). Even so, there may still be very large variations in mat deflections.
What is therefore desirable but non-existent in the prior art, is an effective scheme for limiting variations in trampoline mat deflections. What is also desirable is a trampoline that can safely and effectively accommodate a larger range of trampolinist weights.